The challenge was to persuade customers to shift away from plastic loyalty cards towards the app, so as to enjoy further benefits of the loyalty program membership and, moreover, to receive customised shopping suggestions based on individual shopping history. Additionally, the app was to facilitate family shopping lists and meal preparation. Next, once we had implemented the Click&Collect service into the POLOmarket app, we moved on to enrich its functionalities with online payment. This functionality allows the customers, who shop via app, to issue quick online payments by means of a chosen method, such as a credit or debit card, fast online payments or mobile payment via Blik.

Following design phase and project completion, we have launched an app equipped with functionalities that carry out all of the above objectives. Customers, who use the app may buy many products at attractive prices available only once a built-in loyalty card has been scanned. Also, as the app has been integrated with both the cash registry system and the loyalty program, app users receive multiple personalised offers. Push notifications allow effective and cost-efficient customer oriented communication, which is based on their shopping preferences as collected from multiple sources. Shared shopping lists help to plan and shop smart. Built-in cooking recipes inspire culinary experimentation and make shopping easy as it only takes a click to convert a recipe into a shopping list. Also, since the recipes are available in video format preparing the meal is made easier.

Our next step was to introduce online payment systems. To purchase products online, the customers need first to choose the store for their pickup point - this was done to make sure that products visible in the app are actually available on offer at the chosen location. Then, the customers are asked to choose a time slot for the intended pickup. Afterwards, they finalise the purchase and pay in the app using a method of their choice: a credit or debit card, fast online payments or mobile payment via Blik (the online payment system was implemented in cooperation with online payment provider PayU). Finally, the customer can visit the store to collect the purchase, sidestepping any queues.

With the online payments in operation, POLOmarket is planning to introduce a delivery service directly to customer's home – POLOdrive. Additionally, customers who shop via app will have the opportunity to collect their groceries in a designated parking slot of the chosen store, without the need to get out of the car.